Romance in Peter Pan

[TheWendybird]

First off I want to start by saying I've always felt Peter was a bit of a confused boy...I've always thought he had feelings for Wendy but never quite knew what it was because of his age and so always associated girls with mothers...that being said.....I enjoyed what the '03 movie did (though they should have included more motherly scenes as well). My question is: Is anyone here fond of this train of thought? Meaning...I know Barrie calls children gay and innocent and "heartless" but at the same time you just know Peter is NOT completely heartless or the abandonment by his mother wouldn't be an issue for him I wouldn't think. It's part of that biggest pretend.

The reason I bring this up is because I've noticed in Barrie's fairy notes he seemed to have ideas for "the boy" and "the girl" to be able to be together forever and even marry....in Little White Bird...he's written Peter and Maimie (Wendy's forerunner) as being very sweet together and him even asking if she'd marry him. Obviously people can say he's a baby in that and really doesn't know what that means but at the same time..how many babies talk? lol I just kind of feel like there is a constant idea of innocent childhood sweetheart kind of love in Barrie's notes and stories...though Peter has been written far more oblivious in the final draft of Pan I don't necessarily think that means the feelings are not there. 

I guess this question has gone through my head a bit because me and my husband have nicknamed each other Peter and Wendy because...even though we didn't know each other as children (unfortunately) we feel like we've brought that kind of sweetness to each other. This is why I gave him a picture of Peter and Wendy sitting outside the house in the tree tops watching faeries last christmas....we're very fond of what is elaborated on in the '03 movie (Not sure why people decide to call it sexual tension..I've seen 5 year olds smile at each other in such ways etc So even if they'd made them younger like they should have been I wouldn't have seen a problem. That being said humans are sexual beings and most had crushes in early childhood just as well as in their teens.) and I'm kind of wondering if anyone else got these ideas out of Barrie's notes as well?? I guess you could say I'm kind of open to either elaborations or alternative views of the story at least when it can be derived from Barrie's notes. Thoughts?

[AlexanderDavid]

Maybe.  There's certainly some kind of mother-bond, as you suggested, but at the same time, how much of it is him actually caring for another and how much is it him being selfish?  I mean, it's possible to THINK you're being caring but actually being more selfish than you mean to be.  Peter has chivalrous notions but is it because he cares or because he has a sense of honor and what's right and wrong?

Then again, maybe it's enough that he THINKS he's being considerate (seeing how he doesn't know the difference between make believe and reality), or that he has ANY sense of fair play at all (like evening the odds).

Maybe there is something there, although if there is it's certainly stunted, and will remain forever so....

[TheWendybird]

Agreed. It just seems there was a few things in the fairy notes along with little white bird that makes me think "hmmm perhaps there is something to this?" i mean yes obviously the mother bond is there but how many men out there seem to need mothering as well as a wife for instance...it's classic! lol

I guess what I'm saying is....children can be very very selfish..but i don't think selfishness automatically means one doesn't "love". We have selfish grown ups too and i think there are selfish people who are in love but are just really messed up individuals. No one is perfect. Children usually do act selfish...they have yet to learn the world doesn't revolve around them..but i still see them crushing on each other pretty early and some...not often but some actually have fallen in love with their future spouse as children....so it's a thought.